The Second Campaign
by Dartanious
Summary: The fall of the fire lord was a major victory, but it was only the begining.  This war not only threatens the balance but the existence of human life it self.
1. The Arrival

Disclaimer: I don't own avatar the last air bender I just wrote this part.

After the fall of the fire lord peace had come to the world. For 6 years there was no fighting and no war. 6 long years never seamed so short. Zuko tried to change the fire nation in to a democracy, but it didn't work he gave to much power to his parliament and they took over and turned it to an oligarchy a government ruled by the few. He traveled to the Sothern air temple where Aang lived to get help. He stayed to ready an army to take back the fire nation. Aang's guards were lead by Sokka and Suki. Katara stayed in the air temple with Aang and Toph was visiting during the earth kingdom's civil war. They all looked very different then they did 6 years ago. Sokka had grown to be quite strong at 21 he still had his hair in a ponytail which now reached to his mid back. His new sword was a broad sword that he wore on his back. His t-shirt was dark blue and tight to his skin it showed off his muscles. He wore a long brown trench coat. His pants were strait leg blue jeans which draped over his black combat boots. Suki looked more ladylike then she did at the end of the war. Her light brown hair draped over her shoulders. Her green sleeveless dress stopped at her ankles. She wore a ribbon belt tide in a bow behind her. Her black chest plate armor covered her upper body. Her gloves covered up to her elbow. She was married to Sokka now. Aang hadn't changed much in 6 years he had gotten a little bigger but he still looked like a kid. His yellow and red robe was loose on him giving the illusion that he was bigger then he was. Katara wore her hair in a braided ponytail now; it flowed down to her lower back. Her traditional blue water tribe dress nearly dragged on the floor when she walked. Zuko hadn't changed much he proudly wore the fire lord's robes and let his hair fall as it wanted. Toph looked much older. She now let her hair down which reached to her mid back. She had abandoned her Blind Bandit costume several years ago and instead decided to travel in the traditional clothes of her kingdom. While it hung loosely, it did nothing to hide her figure. She wore green fingerless gloves. She was still kind of short compared to the others. This year things had gotten worse then ever before. It was as if some one flipped a switch and unleashed hatred on the world. When they thought it couldn't get worse he showed up.

Aang sat in his chamber up on his throne bored as all hell. Katara, Zuko, and Toph debated over which of the two nations Aang should help first. Two guards stood at the door. Sokka and Suki stood at the foot of the steeps to Aang's throne discussing guard placement. Suddenly the door burst open smoke filled the doorway. The two guards rushed in to the smoke they were instantly flung out. This caught the group's attention. As the smoke cleared a figure stood at the doorway. He was wearing a deep red cloak with a hood that hid his face in shadow. Sokka was the first to brake the silence "who are you, what do you want." he yelled. A hand rose from the cloak, Sokka drew his sword. The figure pointed at Aang "I want a duel" he said. Sokka laughed "you can't just barge in here and demand a duel from the avatar". The figure lowered his hand. "Why do you want to duel me?" Aang asked. "I have to prove something to myself." he said. Aang was intrigued "Fine" he smiled "But only if you can beat Sokka and Zuko" "what" Zuko and Sokka both said at the same time. "Your kidding right" Zuko said "nope" Aang smiled. "Fine I'm up first" Sokka said as he walked forward "after all I'm the head of the guard anyway so I kind of have to fight you, how bout we take this to the training arena"

The arena was a small coliseum they used for training sessions between the six of them of the guards with all metal seats where spectators enjoyed watching the matches. It had a solid stone floor with two pools of water for water bending. Aang took his seat, the others sat with him and Sokka stood in the ring with the caped figure. Sokka readied his weapon "You ready" "Ya" the figure said. He still wore his cloak. He didn't move Sokka was confused, he lightly shook his head. Then he rushed at the figure. He dodged the first slash but the second one caught his cape cutting it in half. He kicked Sokka away. "This is useless now" the figure said referring to his now destroyed cloak. He untied what was left of the cloak and removed his hood. He had a black mask that was tight to his skin it covered from the bridge of his nose to the base of his neck. His hair was black and shoulder length in the back and the length of his head in the front. It was parted down the middle. His eyes were dark blue. Under his cloak he wore armor. The armor covered his upper body down to the bottom of his ribs and only his left arm. The shoulder pieces were slightly different the one on his left arm curved down and had three lavers to it and looked very heavy, on the right covered very little of his shoulder. The armor was a blood red. On his left arm he wore a red metal arm with a metal gauntlet that ended with claws and on his right hand he wore a leather glove that covered up to right before his elbow. His pants were a denim material dyed blue he had red knee pads, and on his waist he had a double belt where he kept his sword on the left side in a solid black sheath. The hilt of his sword was red and the grip was jet black. He laughed "that was pretty fast Sokka." He drew his sword with his right hand and pointed it at Sokka the blade was deep black. He brushed his hair away from his eyes "this is gunna be fun" Sokka took another swing at him. He blocked it with his sword. Again and again there swords clashed as Sokka swung. His opponent still didn't make an offensive move he just blocked and dodged. Sokka thought he saw an opening and swung with all his strength with a downward motion. The figure dodged by back stepping the strike. This was the opportunity he was waiting for. He stepped on Sokka's sword with his left foot and kicked Sokka's hand with his right. Sokka lost grip of his sword and it fell to the ground. The figure pointed his sword at Sokka "good fight, but your done" he said. Zuko leaped from his seat "my turn" before Sokka even had time to move out of the way Zuko launched a fire ball at the two of them. The figure quickly pushed Sokka out of the way and cut Zuko's attack down with his sword. "Why don't you put the sword away and fight me like a man!" Zuko shouted "fine" said the figure. He sheathed his sword, removed it from his belt and handed it to Sokka "could you hold this for me" Sokka nodded and got to his seat. The figure stared at Zuko "let's go hothead" Zuko was angered by this comment. He began to barge his appoint with fireballs. The figure dodged them all with ease. Then he stomped on the ground sending a stone in to the air. He punched it which sent it flying at Zuko. It caught Zuko by surprise by the time he realized what happened the stone was about to hit him he punched it shattering the stone. 'An earth bender' he thought 'and a rookie at that'. Just after he broke the stone the figure thru a kick right at Zuko's head. He saw it just in time to duck. He landed an open palm to the figures chest sending him flying. Then Zuko began to launch more fire blasts at him. As the figure hit the floor he quickly lifted a wall of stone to block the barrage. He then pushed the rock wall at Zuko. Zuko used both his hands to create a fire ball to break thru the wall. As the battle continued the Zuko's energy weakened but his opponent seamed unfazed by the length of the battle. He still moved flawlessly around Zuko's attacks. "Is that the best you got?" he laughed. "You haven't hit me yet either" Zuko shouted back. "Just positioning myself" he said as he stomped the ground. He had maneuvered himself to the center of the ring and when he stopped he turned the solid rock in to lose dirt. Zuko was confused "what was the point of that" he said. "You'll see" Zuko recommenced with the barrage of fire. While he dodged the shots he slowly made his way to the pool of water. By the time Zuko realized it was too late. He jumped in to the pool and raised the ground in side of it filling the arena floor with a thin layer of water. "Now what" Zuko thought to himself. Zuko was just about to launch another fire ball at him then the figure kicked mud up at Zuko incasing his hand in mud which solidified on contact. Zuko was surprised by this strategy. Zuko quickly raised his other hand to attack but then that one was also encased. Then the figure raised his hands up and mud sprouted from the ground attaching to the rock on Zuko's hands it pulled Zuko's hands to his side and solidified trapping him and pulling him to his knees. The figure walked over to Zuko "don't underestimate me" he said as he walked over. Zuko had one last chance he took a deep breath and once he was with in range he shot a fire blast out of his mouth at him he just managed to doge it but his mask caught fire. He quickly tore it off and thru it to the ground. With out the mask his whole face was revealed. He was about 18; he had a very short beard like he just shaved. Then he kicked mud hitting Zuko's mouth and just as before it solidified. "That's game" he smiled Zuko nodded he released him. He walked back to his seat when he passed Aang he whispered "his fast for an earth bender but you can take him" Aang smiled as he jumped down "this should be fun" he said as he entered the ring. 'lets go" the figure answered. Then he stomped the floor sending a rock in to the air then he sent it flying at Aang. Aang knocked it away with an air blast then blasted him. The blast sent him flying but he was able to move some of the soft dirt to catch himself. When he landed a cloud of dust came up around him. Aang shot a stream of fire in to the cloud. Aang waited for a response then a stream of water shot out of the smoke just missing Aang's head. "No way" Aang said shocked at what he saw. As the smoke cleared he was sure. His opponent could water bend. He smiled as he launched icicles at Aang. Aang dodged them and shot another air blast. Then the figure blocked his air blast with one of his own. "What you can air bend too?" Aang shouted as he landed in the now dry ground. The figure smiled. Every one watched eagerly waiting to see what he would do next. Aang shot fire at his opponent hoping to catch him off guard. The figure bended water from the pool and used it to shield himself. The figure readied him self he then launched a fireball strait at Aang. But this was no ordinary fire it was black as black as the blade of his sword. Aang was just able to doge it, the fireball went on to crash in to the wall of the arena putting a crater in it. "What was that?" Aang asked "I'm not a normal fire bender. You know how the first fire benders learned to bend from dragons?" "Ya" Aang answered "well my ancestor searched out the black dragon the most powerful of all the dragons in the world to learn from. When he found him he asked him to teach him how to fire bend. The dragon agreed but under the condition that no one is to use the black fire to take power or to take rule of any nation or they will be destroyed by it. My ancestor agreed. He learned and the abilities have been pasted down in my family ever since. This fire is much hotter then normal fire even blue fire." "That's incredible" Aang said. "I've herd stories of your family" Zuko said "but those were just stories no one has seen black fire bending for at least a hundred years" "that's because my family hid. They didn't want to be used in the fire nation's war." He turned back to Aang "Enough talking were not done yet avatar" Aang nodded. "I'll end this quick" Aang said as he entered the avatar state. A sphere of air formed around him. "Finally" the figure tensed up the muscles in body then his body lit on fire. It was if there was a black aura burning around him. Aang pushed both his hands forward sending two waves of wind strait towards the figure but he knocked them away with a flick of his wrist. "my turn" he said as the waves of air crashed in to the wall behind him. He clapped his hands together. As he slowly pulled them apart there was a black burning sphere in his hands. He smiled as he took the sphere in his right hand. He then thru it Aang. It streaked thru the air and impacted Aang's sphere the explosion destroyed the sphere and sent Aang flying thru the wall of the arena. He climbed out of the hole in the wall. "Enough!" Aang said as he stretched out his arm, his air staff flue to his hand. There fight continued Aang used his staff to divert the figures attacks. After a few more moments of battle they both became exhausted. The figure grabbed his right wrist his hand bust in to flames "lets see you deflect this" he said as he rushed at Aang and swung his flaming fist at him. Aang could hardly block the attack with his staff. He used air bending to push the figure off him. "This is stupid" Katara said from the stands "some ones going to die" "she's right" the figure said "how bout one last attack all or nothing" Aang readied himself "toss me my sword" he said to Sokka. Sokka obeyed and tossed the blade to the figure. He caught it with his hand which was still coated in flames. And soon the sword started to burn as well. Both fighters rushed at each other and swung with all their strength. There weapons collided creating an explosion Toph quickly shielded her and her friends by surrounding them with a stone wall. As the smoke cleared Aang lay on the ground the figure stood over him breathing heavily his sword still in his hand dragged on the floor. The others looked on in shock as they saw there friend defeated on what was left of the arena floor. The figure fell to the ground. "Let's get them to the infirmary" Suki said with a sigh.


	2. Do…… do I know you?

The figure soon awoke in the infirmary most of the others were standing around Aang, all except Toph who was staring at him as he sat up. "What" he said to Toph, she just kept on staring at him. She seamed as if she was thinking of what to say. "Do… do I know you?" she finally said "Do you" he said with a smile. "Is that really you Dart" "yup it's me" he said. Toph's eyes lit up "I can't believe it, it is you" the others looked over "what did you say his name was" Katara asked with out looking away from Aang. "You see after we defeated the fire lord I wandered the earth kingdom for 3 years." Toph began "I had stopped in a village and was going to buy some supplies when a fight broke out in the village square. A rather large man and a small old man had gotten in to a serious argument and it looked like it was about to get bad. I was running to step in and stop the fight but I didn't make it in time the larger man had already thrown a punch aimed straight at the old mans face. But then Dart stepped in and caught the man's fist. Then he knocked him to the ground with one kick. I sat back and watched as he led the two to an agreement. I then walked over and introduced myself. We ended up sitting in that square talking for the whole day. Then he walked with me to the next village which was another day away. But when we got to the other village we went our separate ways but not before he gave me this" she said as she reached in to her pocket. She pulled out a small glass heart, Dart smiled "I'm surprised it didn't break in your pocket" "The perfect combination of fire and earth that's what you told me remember?" Toph said "Ya I remember" he said with a laugh "so why are you here and why did you want to fight me" Aang said as he was now sitting up listing to the story "when I was little the war was getting way out of hand and my father decided that since there was no avatar I would have to take the job. My father taught me fire bending and my mother taught me to water bend. When I turned ten I was sent to the earth kingdom to learn to earth bend. That took me about a year then I traveled to the air temples and found some hidden air bending scrolls and taught my self to air bend. I was going to challenge the fire lord but I herd that the avatar had returned. I decided to let you do your job. But on the day of Sozin's Comet I learned of the fire lords plan and if I knew about it I knew you did as well. So I assumed you were going to take on the fire lords air ships, so I decided to take out the other groups of air ships." "Wait there were other air ships" Sokka asked. "Ya there were two more groups the same size as the one you took down." "And you beat them alone?" Sokka asked "Ya I thought you guys could use some help and if you didn't know about them it's a good thing I stepped in" "but that still doesn't explain why you wanted to fight me" Aang said. "I wanted to prove to myself that if I had to I could have beaten the fire lord." he answered "there's one thing I still don't understand how did you got up on the air temple." Suki asked thinking her guards were useless. "I took shadow" "who's shadow" she asked "shadow is my griffin" he said "ill show you" he walked out of the room and made his way to the out side of the temple Suki and Toph followed him while the others stayed with Aang. Then he whistled and a large Griffin with black fur covering most of his body but his wings and head which were golden feathers. He was the size of a large lion; he flew down and landed right next to them. "That's amazing" Suki said "he's huge" Toph added "he's really fast and strong" he said petting the beast's wing "then you wont have any problem leaving" Katara said as she stepped thru the door. "I think its time you left you've done nothing but hurt Aang and the others" "Katara maybe he can help us you know with the civil war and Zuko getting kicked out" Toph said trying to defend her friend. "He nearly killed Aang he has to leave" "but…" Toph started "Its fine" Dart said "here's your armor" Katara said as she pulled it out from behind her. Dart began to put his armor all four of them were silent. After he finished he opened a satchel that was on Shadow and took out a new mask and cloak he put them on and began to mount Shadow. "wait" Toph said "stay please" Dart smiled "sorry, ill see you again" "promise" "Ya" he jumped on to the griffon's back and flew away. Suki and Katara walked in to the temple as Toph just stood there and waited till she couldn't hear the wings of the griffon any more. She entered the temple and walked past the infirmary and saw Aang had fallen back asleep she walked to her room and sat on her bed. She reached in to her pocket pulled out the heart and placed it on the counter. After a few minutes she got up and left the room and walked around to find the others still in the infirmary sitting around Aang who was now sitting up "hay twinkle toes, how do you feel" she said as she approached the bed "better thanks" he said with a smile. Toph looked over to where Dart was sitting and noticed a small bag on the pillow. She walked over and picked it up. It had a note attached to it. She could feel the writing on it. "Did any one notice this she said as she tossed it to Aang" Aang caught it in his hand and read it aloud "give this to Aang if he eats it, it will heal his wounds." "Cool" he said as he opened it. Inside was a small pea shaped seed. "Are you sure that's a good idea" Katara said before Aang could put the seed in his mouth. "Only one way to find out" he said as he swallowed the seed. Almost instantly his cuts and scratches all healed over. "Wow I feel great" he said as he jumped out of the bed. "good then we can get back to the matter at hand, where are we headed" Sokka asked "I think the earth kingdom could use the help now I mean people are fighting there that means people could be dying" Aang said "all right then lets go" Katara said "I'll get Appa ready to go" Sokka said as he left the room "sounds good we'll leave tomorrow" Aang said "its to late to travel now" "ok then I'm going to bed" Zuko said as he left the room "bed good idea" Aang said. Every one left to go to bed.


End file.
